[This article appears in the January/February 2021 issue of Boston Spirit magazine. Subscribe for free today.]
Itching to get outside during an especially long winter? Luckily, we live in New England—where mountain skiing is one of the few activities it’s easy to enjoy while staying six feet apart. No matter what your style, we’ve got a summit for you.
For your escape pod: Sunday River in Bethel, Maine
Great for groups, this crowd-pleasing resort has enough beginner trails to give brand-new ski bunnies a hopping good time, as well as more challenging slopes for those who really want to kick up some snow. So gather up your quarantine-pod pals, grab your poles and head to Sunday River’s White Out Weekend (February 5–7, 2021), an annual gay getaway presented in association with OutRyders, New England’s largest LGBTQ ski and snowboard club.
Off the trails: The Pine Tree State’s mine-filled western mountains are an appropriate home for the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum, an out-of-this-world experience that also houses one of the world’s foremost meteorite collections—including the five largest pieces of moon rock on Earth. Your crew can also enjoy a sparkling night at the Gem Theater, a charming movie house now offering pods the chance to rent out a screening-room to enjoy a private viewing, or even an evening of live vaudeville or burlesque from local performers.
Après ski: Warm up with hot chili or spicy ribs from Smokin’ Good BBQ, which serves absolutely epic barbecue meats from an unassuming, graffiti-covered orange trailer on the side of the road. Then get toasty over brews at Matterhorn Ski Bar: Its typically rollicking live-music scene has been paused this season, but you can still join its Mug Club to add your own personalized stein to the hundreds suspended from rafters overhead.
For fans of Posh Spice: Stowe Mountain Resort in Stowe, Vermont
Model your Moncler at this snow globe–pretty resort—owned by the Colorado-based developers behind the tony Vail Resorts—that encompasses luxury lodging and shopping, a performing arts center for physically distanced concerts, and a spectacular spa for freezing away fat with cutting-edge cryo-therapy treatments. When to go? Although its large parties have been suspended, Winter Rendezvous (January 20–24, 2021), Stowe’s annual LGBTQ ski week, will still be the best time to drag yourself up to (and down from) the summit.
Off the trails: Have an experience straight out of a holiday movie by hitching a horse-drawn sleigh ride at the Trapp Family Lodge, founded by the actual family portrayed in “The Sound of Music”; afterwards, enjoy Austrian pastries and craft beers from the on-site brewery. You can also make your own dazzling souvenir with an hour-long lesson at Little River Hotglass Studio, or just pick up gallery-worthy sculptures works, vases, or tableware from its team of glassblowing pros.
Après ski: The vinyl record-lined walls of Doc Ponds restaurant make for Stowe’s hippest hangout. But the physical-distancing era is also a great time to simply stock up on local-made snacks (cheese from Cabot Farmers’ Store, truffles from Lake Champlain Chocolates or a bottle of small-batch maple cream liqueur from Smugglers’ Notch Distillery) and unwind with just your sweetie inside the isolated, two-floor treehouse at Moose Meadow Lodge, a gay-owned bed and breakfast in neighboring Waterbury.
For the adrenaline junkie: Cannon Mountain in Franconia, New Hampshire
Gold-medal Olympian Bode Miller sharpened his self-taught skills at expert-courting Cannon, where the whipping winds of the White Mountains spur skiers down rugged backcountry and tough trails—including infamous, boulder-strewn DJ’s Tramline, perhaps the region’s steepest. When you want to relax, though, you’re just a slalom away from the Highlands Inn, a beloved “lesbian paradise” in Bethlehem. The charming, 100-acre property even includes a dog-friendly private cottage, disconnected from the main house for an extra air of escape.
Off the trails: Hey, queen—want to see something that really rules? Take a tour of the Ice Castles in nearby Lincoln, an awe-inspiring seasonal display of artist-carved frozen towers, archways, and tunnels illuminated by colorful LED lights; it’s a truly magical kingdom. For stellar views from a totally different vantage point, visit Alpine Adventures to soar above snowy tree canopies on a zipline tour, or challenge yourself to complete an aerial obstacle course suspended in the sky.
Après ski: Feeling fruity? Check out Seven Birches Winery, where apples, blueberries, and strawberries are transformed into fabulous fruit wines—take a tour, or just grab a seat for a tasting. If beer’s more your thing, though, you’ve got to visit Rek’-Lis Brewing Company, a cool destination for creative suds (like the Wild Grape Milkshake IPA) and tasty vittles. Try the decadent poutine, or the fried chicken smothered in chili honey. [x]
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